Eobeet goodwin lake



PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

. R. G. LAKE WINDOW SHADE SIGN.

APPLIUATIOH FILED DEG. 26, 1902.

- N0 IODEL.

. UNITED STATES Patented February 2, 1904.

PATE T OFF CE.

WINDOW-SHADE SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 751,307, dated February2, 1904. Application filed December 26, 1902. Serial No. 136,663. (Nomodel.)

T at whom it may concern:-

Be'it known that I, ROBERT GooDwIN LAKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at C0- rona, in the county of Queens and State of New York,have invented a new and useful- Window-Shade Sign, of which thefollowing is a specification. I

The invention relates to improvements in signs.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofsigns for advertising and other purposes and to provide a simple,inexpensive, and etficient one designed, primarily, for use inshow-windows, at store- (1001S,'&I1(1 similar places where the light forilluminating the interior of the store may be utilized for illuminatingthe sign at night,

, and thereby obviate the necessity'of employing special gas-jets orelectric lights for the slgn.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sign of this characterwhich will be efficient both in daylight and at night and which willenable bold, attractive, and highly-ornamental advertising or other signcharacters to be displayed.

Another object of the invention is to enable rich and handsome signs ofgreat durability to be readily constructed at a very-low cost.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully de. scribed,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the claims heretoappended, it being understood that changes in theform, proportion, and minor details of construction within the scope ofthe claims may be made without departing from the'spirit or sacrificingany of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a window-signprovided with a letter constructed in accordance with this invention.Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View of the same on the line 2 2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a reverse plan view. Fig. 4 is an elevation showing anornamental figure. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate correpurposes.

sponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a piece of substantially opaque or semi-opaque window-shadecloth or similar material having cut therein an opening. 2 of the formof the letter B, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings; butany other sign character, symbol, emblem, device, or

' representation, ornamental or otherwise, may

be substituted for the letter-opening 2, and although the sign isdesigned, primarily, .for

window-shade curtains foruse at show-windows, doors, and the like'forutilizing the light for illuminating the interior of a'store or otherplace, yet it will be readily understood, that the sign may be employedin various other places for advertising and .other The opening oraperture of the opaque body portion of the sign is covered by a piece 3of transparentor translucent material, such as tracing-linen, celluloid,mica, or

1 similar material, which will permit the passage of rays of light to agreater or less extent to produce a sign character clearly distinguishable from the opaque or semi-opaque body portion of the sign.The transparent or translucent piece 3 is of the same form as theaperture of the body portion of the sign and is slightly larger than thesame to provide overlapping marginal. portions 4, which are cemented orotherwise secured to the rear face of the body portion of the sign.

In order to conceal the overlapping marginal portion of the transparentor translucent material, the body portion of the sign is provided on itsexterior with an ornamental shade-border 5, conforming to theconfiguration ofthe overlapped marginal edge of the transparent ortranslucent material and covering the same. This will prevent thedifference in the appearance of the body portion of thesign which mightresult when such body portion is constructed of semi-opaque material,and if the overlapping attached edge of the piece 3 were not concealedin this manner a darkened border differing in appearance from the restof the body portion might result.

The letters, figures, and similar characters of the sign are designed tobe shaded by painting the exterior of the body portion of the sign, asshown at 6, and such letters or figures may be of any form, as will bereadily under: stood, and the transparent or translucent material may beeither plain white or it may be ornamented or tinted, if desired.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings is illustrated a portion of the body 7 of asign having an ornamental opening 8 of the form of a bunch of grapes andleaves, and a piece 9 of transparent or translucent material of the formof the said opening 8 is cemented to the back of the body portion of thesign. This piece of transparent or translucent material is of the sameconfiguration as the opening 8, but slightly larger than the same toprovide overlapping marginal edges 10 for attachment to the body portionof the sign. The transparent or translucent material is painted orotherwise ornamented to represent the grapes and leaves, and ashade-border 11 is painted or otherwise applied to the exterior of theopening or aperture of the body portion of the sign for the purposebefore explained of concealing or preventing the cemented edges of thetransparent or translucent material from affecting the appearance of thebody portion of the sign.

When the transparent or translucent material is constructed oftracing-linen, it is flexible like the window-shade cloth, and thewindow-shade sign may be rolled up out of the way or adjusted, asdesired.

It will be seen that the illuminated sign is effective both in daylightand at night, that it will enable a bold, attractive, andhighly-ornamental sign of great durability to be cheaply constructed,and that it is adapted for use in show-windows and at doors and iscapable of utilizing the light of the interior of and similar devicesusually employed for this purpose. Furthermore, it Will be clear thatthe first cost of the sign is the only expense and that by means of itan illuminated. sign may be maintained Without additional expense.

What is claimed is- 1. A sign comprising a flexible body portion ofsubstantially opaque material provided with a sign-character aperture,and a piece of translucent or transparent material of the same form asthe aperture covering the same and extended beyond the edges of theaperturc to provide overlapping edges, said overlapping edges beingsecured to the body of the sign, and the said sign being provided with ashade-border for concealing the attached edges or the effect thereof,substantially as described.

2. A sign comprising a flexible substantially opaque body portionprovided with a sign-character opening, and a piece of ornamentedtranslucent or transparent material of the same form as the opening,arranged at the rear face of the body portion of the sign and extendedbeyond the edges of the opening to provide marginal overlapping edgesfor attachment to the body portion of the sign, said body portion beingprovided with exterior shade-border, extending around the opening andcovering the overlapped marginal edges to conceal the effect thereof,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own 1 have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT GOODVVIN LAKE.

Witnesses:

H. W. GRossMYER, D. P. SMYTH.

